I believe this bench top is by Halifax Vogel and is known as crea style AR + gloss finish the colour name is everest. I can't be 100% as your image is not clear close up, but I'm almost 100. I will say, from experience in kitchen fit outs, 1000s actually, complementing a dating bench top won't save money, they have to remove the existing top to join the new section regardless, this is time and money on site,often dearer than just removing it and measuring for a new modern decor. Go with a new bench too selection, so it is worth your effort extending your kitchen, invest in a new top and treat it as an investment. If you don't and the end result is not great you risk losing money on this kitchen.

You could paint the doors white to make them feel more contemporary. They would be solid timber so would be good quality. The varnish on the wood tends to yellow over time. So if you wanted to keep the wood - you could strip back and revarnish in natural colour or even go darker, such as chocolate for a more dramatic effect. I would recommend repalcing the tiles with a subway tile which is really popular at the moment. Then choose a stone to suit. Here is a great grey subway we have used although here are some examples of the subway tiles we have been using. A lovely mottled grey in the bathroom and white for the kitchen looks great. So dark timber stained cupboards with a white tile or grey and then a white Caesarstone with a fleck through it or even the new look grey marble effect ones would look great. Good luck.

Hi Jowena I am not sure what your budget is but there are many ways to renovate a kitchen and it really depends on whether you want to move the services ie. sink, oven and cooktop, as moving these, especially in an apartment, will increase the costs. If the existing kitchen layout you are going to stick with then the next step is whether the cabinet carcasses are in good condition. If so it might be that you get the drawer and door fronts changed, then get the benchtop sourced. The joinery/cabinets need to be fitted first before the benchtop supplier will come in and measure then you will need to wait approx. 4-6 weeks before the benchtop is installed. Depending on the changes you are making on the joinery, you can look at flat pak options or getting custom made via a cabinet maker. Once that is sorted then you will talk to the stonemason about the benchtop you are after. Hope this information helps! Always getting a professional makes it easier to coordinate and saves your time running around!

The Marble Man - would like to share information for your consideration - Manmade, engineered stone is also known as agglomerate, manufactured stones or reconstituted stones. They are made from a combination of approximately 7% resins, cement, and coloured pigments and upwards of 93% natural stone chips such as quartz or marble. These materials are bound together to make a slab. Engineered stones are designed to emulate natural stones such as marble and granite and are an extremely popular alternative to natural stone in building today. Some of the engineered stone brands include Caesarstone, Essastone, Quantum Quartz, Silestone, Technistone, Smarstone and HanStone. These stones are similar in composition, varying only by a few percent in total quartz used. Their differences lie in the colours, patterns and applications offered. Some engineered stones are just made for benchtops whereas, others can be used for tiles. For you the home renovator, builder or owner the preference to choose engineered stone over natural stone is purely a personal one. Natural stone is attractive because of it’s unique inconsistencies in colour, texture and patterns. The Marble Man enjoys the qualities of all natural and manmade stone. When you view engineered stone for consideration for your home, you will see a more consistent colour and patterning in the stone. Take the time to view the full sheet of stone and consider the overall look and effect of the colour you choose for your interior. There are many reasons why engineered stones are being chosen over natural stone: Engineered stones are durable, scratch, stain and heat resistant * They come in a variety of colours and patterns Natural marble is susceptible to etching and staining, however a marble look can be created with the etch and stain resistant properties of granite, making it a good choice for high stress areas such as kitchen benchtops and bathroom vanities The quartz used in the engineered stones is a similar hardness to granite and rates a 7 on the Mohs Scale of Hardness It is easy to clean and will require less long-term maintenance like granite if cared for according to manufacturers instructions. Please be sure to speak with the sales team about your uses of the benchtop, stone, surface and address how you plan to use the surface before finalising your choice. Manmade, reconstituted stone is only ‘resistant’ to scratching, staining and heat and therefore hot pots must not be left on for extended periods, cutting boards should still be used under hot pots, pans or dishes. Spills must be cleaned up immediately as in the case of any natural stone to prevent stains. It comes with a manufacturers seal therefore additional sealing is not usually necessary. * In our experience engineered stone kitchen benchtops and bathroom vanities do chip and scorch, however we have developed processes to repair even large chips making them virtually undetectable, and to restore the factory finish to surfaces damaged by heat. Enjoy your home, enjoy the stone you choose for the benchtops in your home. The Marble Man is happy to assist with stone information, repairs, polishing and sealing all stone surfaces. We service Gold Coast, Brisbane, Sunshine Coast, Toowoomba, Northern NSW, Sydney and Canberra for all stone repairs, polishing and sealing Stone surfaces - simply call 1300 627 626. Learn more on The Marble Man website - www.themarbleman.com.au